Significant Flooding Along Fox River and Chain O’ Lakes
Communities along the Fox River—especially in the Chain O’ Lakes region—are experiencing major flooding following multiple rounds of severe storms that brought heavy rainfall and saturated ground conditions across northern Illinois. The combination of local rainfall and upstream inflows has caused water levels to rise rapidly, pushing the system into moderate to major flood stage in several areas.
River levels crested midweek last week, before beginning a slow decline. Even after cresting, however, water levels are likely to recede gradually over several days or longer, prolonging impacts in affected communities.
This event ranks among the more serious flooding incidents in recent decades, with water levels approaching those seen during notable floods in 1973, 1986, and 2008.
Flooding has led to road closures, water entering homes and neighborhoods, and the shutdown of parks and recreational areas throughout McHenry and Lake Counties. In some locations, floodwaters have extended well beyond normal shorelines.
Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant, follow guidance from local officials, and take precautions to protect their property. If your property sustained flooding or property damage due to this weather event and you have not done so already, please complete the state’s damage assessment survey:
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/1456ae9160d04c6bb3ec3694fb29fe6d?portalUrl=https://IDNR.maps.arcgis.com.
Senate Returns to the Capitol as Final Weeks of Session Begin
Senate lawmakers return to the Capitol on Tuesday, April 28, to begin the final stretch of the spring legislative session. The Senate is scheduled to be in session for the last week of April, and both chambers are then set to work through the final four weeks of the regular spring session before the scheduled May 31 adjournment.
Before the General Assembly adjourns, lawmakers must take up bills that have advanced from the opposite chamber. As in previous years, the biggest task ahead will be passing the state’s next budget. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed FY 26-27 budget totals about $56 billion, and Republicans have argued the plan depends on more than $700 million in new revenues.
The final weeks of session will likely feature more than just budget negotiations, with lawmakers also taking up a series of contentious proposals, including a constitutional amendment on redistricting and a megaprojects bill directed toward keeping the Bears football franchise in Illinois.
Senate Republicans continue to call for transparency and fiscal responsibility, noting that Illinois families cannot afford another budget built on new taxes, short-term fixes, and higher costs.
Wilcox Hosts 55 High School Students for Spring Youth Advisory Council
Last week, I had the privilege of hosting 55 bright high school students from across the 32nd District for my Spring Youth Advisory Council. The day-long learning and networking event took place at McHenry City Hall in the Council Chambers.
This was the second meeting of the group, which initially met in the fall to brainstorm ideas for legislation they would like to see passed by the State Legislature. At that time, they worked collaboratively with peers from other schools and determined the would like to explore legislation that led to the creation of a government-run grocery store.
Last week, the students were each assigned roles (Republican Senator, Democrat Senator, lobbyist in favor, lobbyist opposed, citizen in favor, citizen opposed, or member of the Capitol press corps), as their “bill” went through a mock committee process and a vote was held. In addition to this hands-on learning opportunity, the students heard from three engaging speakers, who talked about their jobs and how emerging adults can ensure their voices are heard.
Thank you to our speakers: Scott Brix, Board President of Woodstock’s Food Shed Co-Op; Whitney Barnes, Press Secretary to Senate Republican Leader John Curran; and Dr. Julie Patterson, Associate Professor and Nutritionist from Northern Illinois University; and to all students who participated in this wonderful event!
Proposed Redistricting Amendment Raises Concerns About Fairness in Illinois
A proposed constitutional amendment advancing in the Illinois General Assembly is once again raising concerns about how legislative maps are drawn and whether the process will remain fair and transparent.
The proposal (HJRCA 28) would change the standards used to draw legislative districts, including adjusting how certain criteria are prioritized when maps are created. These changes would weaken long-standing protections designed to ensure districts are drawn fairly and without undue political influence.
Illinois already faces scrutiny over its current legislative maps. The state received an “F” grade for gerrymandering from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, with critics pointing to district lines that divide communities and favor political insiders.
Concerns are growing that the proposed amendment could make it easier to draw similar maps in the future by reducing the importance of key standards used to evaluate fairness.
At the center of the debate is a basic principle of representative government: voters should choose their elected officials, not the other way around. I believe that maintaining fair and transparent map-drawing standards is essential to ensuring public trust and protecting the integrity of elections in Illinois.
New Ranking Shows Illinois Still Falling Behind
Illinois once again ranked near the bottom nationally for economic competitiveness, underscoring what Senate Republicans say is a troubling trajectory for the state’s future.
According to the 2026 ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index, Illinois ranked 49th in economic performance, based on state GDP growth, non-farm payroll employment growth, and domestic migration.
Senate Republicans say the report debunks the continued rhetoric coming from the Pritzker Administration. While Gov. J.B. Pritzker has repeatedly touted increases in the state’s population and economic growth, the data tell a different story. Illinois families and businesses continue to leave the state in search of greater opportunity, lower costs, and more relief, and pretending otherwise will not solve the problem.
Meanwhile, the report also found Illinois ranked 45th in economic outlook, a forward-looking forecast based on 15 state policy variables, including tax burdens and other measures tied to competitiveness.
None of this should come as a surprise. With state spending at record highs and taxpayers still burdened by some of the highest costs in the country, Democrats are making it harder year-after-year for families to stay, businesses to grow, and employers to invest.
The state’s economic outlook ranking has remained in the bottom half in recent editions of the report, reinforcing Republican concerns that Illinois is not simply facing a temporary slowdown, but a long-standing problem with how this state is being run.
The longer Gov. Pritzker and Democratic lawmakers ignore the facts, the harder it will be to turn the state around and put Illinois back on track.